The Giving Tree: local nurse finds creative way to spread joy

Take a small gift or leave a note of encouragement: this local 'Giving Tree' was made to bring some holiday cheer.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Lincoln nurse has found a creative way to bring joy to others during the holiday season amid the pandemic.

For OBGYN nurse Brooke Davis, finding hope during this long and stressful year has been difficult. In the spirit of giving, Davis and her daughter, Niya, created a local ‘Giving Tree’ in their yard to bring a smile and cheer to others. 

“Our hope is that people will, you know, if they’re having a bad day or need to be uplifted they’ll take something, but then maybe if they’re encouraged or in a good spot and want to leave an encouraging word even if it’s just a little note, you know, they can pay it forward and it will cause a ripple effect,” Brooke says. 

Brooke says she got the idea from the classic book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, but also from another book, How to be Hopeful by Bernadette Russell.

The Davis’ Giving Tree is complete with chairs and string lights to give people a chance to sit and reflect on the year. Niya and Brooke encourage those who pass by to take hot cocoa, firewood, or leave a note for others who stop by as well.

“People don’t have a ton of hope right now and it been a tough year for everybody, especially of course the virus but even other things, like unrest and a lot of anxiety in the country,” Niya says. “So just to do something small where people can just kind of breathe.”

The two say they want to remind others to spread joy and know that little acts of kindness go a long way. 

“It’s easy to get caught up in the negative, so, that’s what we’re really hoping for, just to bring a smile- even if we can’t see it under the mask, just to bring a smile to somebody’s day,” Brooke says. 

The Giving Tree is located north of Southpointe Mall along 27th Street.